Golf hole simulating device



April 29, 1952 A. J. O'MALLEY 4,

com nous SIMULATING DEVICE Filed April 4, 1950 2 smms-srmr 1 i l 1 L IN V EN TOR. flnih zg CZ 0151 412,297,

' April 29, 1952 A. J. o MALLEY 2,594,982

GOLF HOLE SIMULATING DEVICE Filed April 4, 1950 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 IN VEN TOR.

Am cmmzzze Patented Apr. 29, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,594,982 GULF HOLE SIMULATING DEVICE anthem J. oMaue Montclair, N. J. Application April '4, 1950, Serial No. 153,925

1 This invention relates to a practice device for use by golfers; and the "invention reference, "more particularly, t?) a device capable 'f use in "the home or elsewhere indoors for the practicing of putting strokes or shots.

It has been observed that a perfect eighteen hole round of golf, arseventy-twoycomedes two putts on each green. I't'w'ould therefore appear 'that'at least fifty percent "of the strokes'required during the play are for putting shots. This being so, it is highly desirable that the golfer, and esp'eci'ally'the novice or beginner, should seek to improve putting skill. That "this is recognized is evidenced by the fact that practice greens are almost universally "provided "as a desirable facility in connection with both private and public golf courses. Such practice 'greens are provided with the usual countersunk cup's so that, when practicing, the golfer must repeatedly stoop to re- 't rieve sunk balls from the cup, with the result that the golfer 'quickly tires, -and frequently 'soon stops practice with consequent loss of benefit thereof.

Having the-above mentioned facts in view, it is an object of this invention to provide a novel golf putting practice device which can be used on a carpet or rug within the home or other-indoor'locality; which device is so constructed that although closely simulating the target -ap'pearance of a practical cup, yet is such that necessity for constant stooping or bending over to "retrieve a played ball is avoided, while at the same time means is provided to prevent .far reaching escape of the ball in the event of misdirected or fast shots; all to the end that long continued practice may be beneficially-carried on 'with a minimum of physical fatigue. a

-Another-object 'of the invention is "to :provide a golf putting practice device which :is so 'constructed'that no surfaceimpedance or obstruction is interposed in the :path of "the-rolling ball toward and into the "cup target; meansbeing protrlded for'admitting 'a properly dircctedball mov- 'in'g at suitable'fvloci-ty into theeuptarg'etmut allowing a ball shot at a velocity so 'highas to be likely to jump a practical cup to pass through tionis read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of theg'olf "putting practice device ofthis invention: Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the same; Fig. 3 is ahorizonta l sectional view of the same, taken on 'line lclaiins. ((31.2'73-36) 3-3 in Fig. 2; and Fig. '4 is a transverse vertical sectional view thereof, taken on line 4-4 in 1.

Similar characters of reference are employed in the hereinabove described views, to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings, the illustrative -'embodiment of the putting practice device according to this invention comprises a pairofsp'aced apart fore and aft extending foot members *l lll upon which are supported side wall members 11 Supported by the side wall members 'l|,--s'o as "to bridge across and between'the "same is a topiplate I2. This top plate [2 is provided with a central opening 13, .which is centered "medially between the side wall members ll. Dis'p'o'sed within said opening 13, in concentric relation thereto ts :a vertically movable brake ring 1'4 the walls of which are perpendicular to the plane of the top plate [2; said brake ring correspondin'gin diameter to the diameter 'of a practical green cup. Said brake ring 14 is "yieldably supported from the top plate 12 by a pair of forward,radially'1iisposed, suspension spring 'a'rms 15,-and arpair of rearward, radially disposed, spring suspe'nsion arms IS; the walls of "said brakering li being perforated to permit the 'free endsof said spring arms to engage therethrough, 'whereby'tosuspend the brake rin'g within the top plate 'opening 13. The rearward end portions of the "spring arms l5 and (6 are respectivelyaffixed to the top-plate l2 by fastening screws l 'l'which,'preferably,ipass downwardly throughsaid top plate 12 to screw into the foot members 10, thus also assisting in binding the foot member, side wall members-and top plate assembly together.

The brake ring 14 intersects the :plane of the top plate, so that, as supported by the :spring arms 5-16, the bottom edge 14' of the "brake ring is normally disposed in a planespaced above the level of the floor it? upon which the device rests, and at a distance 'somewhat less than'the diametrical size of a golf ball. A:golf'-b'all:has a diametric size of 1 inches. Thebrakering M, as normally suspended by the spring arms 15-46, is so disposed that "its 'bottonredge 4-4 is spaced from the floor level 18 at adistance of approximately 1%,; inches; the s'pacihg thus being about inch less than the :diameter 0f a golf ball.

Extending laterally outward in opposite \directions from the forward or front ends of ithe respective side wall members I! are-stop 'Wings 19 of suitable length. These stop -w'ings' [9 .are preferably somewhat forwardly inclined toward their free ends, whereby, if struck 'by a .niisdirected putted'ball, sai'd'ball'willrbounfitherefrom toward the player, and thus will not es-' cape from the vicinity of play, so that needless chasing of or searching for the ball is avoided. These stop wings is may be formed as an integral part of the side wall members I I as shown, or may be separate parts suitably fixed in connection with the latter. Also provided in connection with the device is a back stop member 20. In a preferred form thereof, said back stop member is pivotally mounted by a knuckle 2| to turn about a forward fastening screw H. The free end portion 25' of the back stop mem ber 20 is turned to extend angularly inward relative to the main body thereof, so as to be disposed, in its operative position, in rearwardly spaced relation to and behind the rearward open end of the target cup assembly. When not in use, the back stop member 20 may be swun forward into alignment with the adjacent stop wing [9, whereby to reduce the bulk of the de- -vice for storage and for packing for transportation.

In the use of the putting practice device, the same is deposited on the carpet, rug or other suitable floor surface, and the user take stance a desired distance away from the front end thereof, placing a golf ball B on the floor ready to be addressed by a putting golf club, and thus ready to apply a putting stroke to said ball, endeavoring by the applied stroke to so direct the roll of the ball at proper velocity, considering the distance to be traversed by the ball to the target cup, that the ball will enter the open front of the device and come to rest within the target cup area. The power of the stroke must be so judged that the velocity of the putted ball will not be so great as would be likely to jump a practical cup if the shot were made on an actual green. If the velocity of the putted ball is properly determined, and its direction toward the target cup true, the ball will enter between the side wall members ll of the device, and will engage the forward portion of the bottom edge Mflof the brake ring M with just sufficient force to cause said brake ring to upwardly yield, against the tension of the forward spring arms Hi, to passage of the ball thereunder, the brake ring, under such conditions, exercising braking action upon the ball sufficient to assure its coming to rest within the ward edge portion of the brake ring, with the result that the ball escapes the target cup area,

with an effect similar to jumping a practical cup if the shot were made on a golf course green.

In order to properly control the brake ring for yielding to entrance of a putted ball into the target cup area when putted at suitable velocity, and also to yield to escape of a putted ball from the'target cup area if the imparted velocity is such as to induce cup jumping, it has been found desirable to predetermine the tensional resistance of the front springs IE5 at a selected-tension, and the tensional resistance of the rear springs 16 at a somewhat greater tension. Ordinarily the tension of the front springs will be such that a ball moving at proper v velocity will readily lift the forward edge por- 4 Y tions of the brake ring but will not lift the rearward edge portions thereof. It has been found that the tension of the rear springs [6 would be from two to four times greater than that of the front springs. Under these circumstances, a ball putted in proper direction and at proper velocity will pass under the forward portion of the brake ring, and in so doing its velocity will be so checked that it cannot lift the rearward portion of the brake ring, and consequently the ball remains in the target cup area, this being equivalent to sinking a ball if putted with like direction and force on a golf course green. On the other hand, a ball even though p'utted in proper direction, if at too high velocity, will, in passing the forward portion of the brake ring 14, not be sufficiently checked or slowed to be arrested by the rearward portion of the brake ring, but, on the contrary, will lift the latter so as to pass thereunder and thus jump or escape from the target cup area.

If desired the marginal area of the top plate which surrounds the opening and its contained brake ring may be colored in contrast to the remaining area of said top plate, whereby to visually define the mouth of the target cup area so as to assist the player in sighting the target cup area preparatory to a putting shot. If desired, the brake ring itself may be likewise colored to the same end.

It will be noted that the device, as deposited for use on a floor surface, is free from any floor surface obstructing parts in front of the target cup area, and consequently there is nothing to either impede or deflect the roll of ball as directed toward the target cup area by putting shot.

From the above, it will now be understood, that this invention provides a very simple, inexpensive and practical putting practice device for golfers, and one which is especially well adapted for home or other indoor use. Furthermore, not only does use of the device enable the user to attain desired skill in imparting proper direction to the putted ball, but also skill in judging required power of putting stroke best adapted to cover distance to the cup at a ball velocity which will not be excessive and thus risk jumping the cup.

Having now described my invention, I claim:

1. A putting practice device for golfers comprising a pair of laterally spaced apart upstanding side wall structures for deposit upon a playing surface whereby to define a fore and aft extending through passage therebetween, a top plate affixed to and bridging between the tops of said wall structures, said top plate having an opening above said passage, an upwardly movable brake ring within said opening, said brake ring substantially corresponding in diameter to the diameter of a practical green cup whereby to define a target cup area simulating the latter, and resilient means affixed to andextending over the upper surface of the top plate for supporting the brake ring in a normal initial lowermost position wherein its bottom edge is spaced above the playing surface at a distance somewhat less than the diametrical size of a golf ball, said brake ring being adapted to yield upwardly upon the passing of a moving golf ball thereunder.

2. A putting practice device for golfers as defined in claim 1 including laterally projecting stop wings extending outwardly from the forward ends of the respective side wall structures relative to opposite sides of the through passage entrance, and a back stop member connected with one side wall in rearward extension therefrom and having an angular free end portion spaced rearwardly from and opposed to the through passage exit. v

3. A putting practice device for golfers as defined in claim 1 wherein the resilient means for supporting the brake ring comprises a plurality of radial suspension spring arms afiixed to said top plate with their free end portions supportingly engaged through the wall of the ring.

4. A putting practice device for golfers as defined in claim 1 wherein the resilient means for supporting the brake ring comprises a plurality of radial suspension spring arms afiixed to said top plate with their free end portions supportingly engaged through the wall of the ring, said spring arms including a pair of forward arms and REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: v

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 898,530 Treadwell Sept. 15, 1908 1,529,749 Morrison Mar. 17, 1925 2,460,080 Gerding Jan. 25, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 504,628 Great Britain 1939 

